1909 Montana Frank Shows
DESCRIPTION
By: American Show Print
Date: 1909 (dated) Milwaukee
Dimensions: 28 x 20.75 inches (71 x 53 cm)
This extremely rare original advertising lithograph was produced in 1909 to promote the Montana Frank Shows, the independent Wild West entertainment venture of Frank McCray, known to audiences as “Montana Frank.” Before founding his own troupe, McCray had earned recognition as a performer with Buffalo Bill’s Wild West and the Congress of the Rough Riders of the World from 1893 to 1899, two of the most celebrated traveling spectacles of the late 19th century.
Origins of the Montana Frank Shows
Building on that reputation, McCray established his own Wild West show around 1910, with documented performances in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Like Buffalo Bill before him, McCray blended frontier myth, dramatic reenactments, and staged pageantry to attract regional audiences hungry for tales of the West. Advertising was essential to drawing crowds, and he commissioned the American Show Print Company of Milwaukee to produce large, colorful lithographs.
This particular example, dated 1909, is one of the very few surviving posters from the Montana Frank enterprise. Measuring on a bold scale and printed in rich color, it depicts what is believed to be a Native American dance performance, a common attraction in Wild West shows where Indigenous performers and themes were prominently, if often stereotypically, featured. In the lower right corner appears the printer’s mark: “Copyright ’09 American Show Print Co. Milwaukee 8552.” The imagery, with its dramatic sense of motion and spectacle, would have been immediately eye-catching to prospective audiences.
Historical Significance and Rarity
Posters for smaller Wild West troupes seldom survive, as they were cheaply produced, pasted outdoors, and discarded after use. While Buffalo Bill–related ephemera is relatively well documented, advertising from lesser-known contemporaries such as Montana Frank is exceptionally scarce. This lithograph not only preserves the memory of McCray’s short-lived show but also reflects the enduring popularity of Wild West entertainment in the early 20th century and its role in shaping public perceptions of frontier life.
Condition: Poster is in fine condition, linen backed with bright coloring and full margins on all sides. Some loss is apparent in the lower margin where a few tears once extended into the image but have since been restored.
Inventory #92316
1200 W. 35th Street #425 Chicago, IL 60609 | P: (312) 496 - 3622
CONDITION
1200 W. 35th Street #425 Chicago, IL 60609 | P: (312) 496 - 3622